Providing for the Stabilization of Fish Supply and Prices

October 30, 1979

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 954

WHEREAS, fish is a basic component of the Filipino diet and an essential source of protein;

WHEREAS, fish supply and prices fluctuate wildly due to the seasonality of fish supplies, the long-standing inefficiencies in the fish marketing system, and the lack of adequate institutional credit for fish producers and fish traders;

WHEREAS, there is a pressing need for concerted action on the part of government and the private sector to stabilize fish production, streamline the fish marketing system, and provide adequate production and marketing credit;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and direct that:

1. The Food Terminal, Inc. (FTI) and the Philippine Fish Marketing Authority (PFMA) shall undertake the direct procurement of a significant portion of the total volume of fish traded daily in Metro Manila area and shall sell such fish through selected traders and/or retailers with the end in view of reducing and or stabilizing fish supply and prices; and prices throughout the country, with priority given to fish, vegetables and fruits sold in the Metropolitan Manila area. cdt

2. That the Presidential Action Committee on Food shall be initially composed of the following:

a. The Minister of Agriculture as Chairman and Presidential Action Officer

b. The Minister of Natural Resources

c. The Minister of the Budget

d. The Minister of Trade

e. The Governor of the Central Bank

f. The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements

g. The Deputy Minister of Human of Cooperative Development of the Ministry of Local Governments and Community Development

h. The Chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines

i. The President of the Philippine National Bank

j. The President of the Land Bank of the Philippines

k. The Administrator of the National Grains Authority

l. The Chairman of the Food Terminal, Inc.

m. The General Manager of the Philippine Fish Marketing Authority

n. The Assistant to the Governor and Chairman of the Metro Manila Commission

The above officials may be represented in the Presidential Action Committee on Food by their duly designated representatives.

3. The Presidential Action Committee on Food is empowered:

a. to determine the strategies necessary to attain its objectives;

b. to prepare the necessary plans and programs to effectively implement the strategies arrived at;

c. to determine the duties and responsibilities of, and establish guidelines for all ministries and government agencies involved in the food industry;

d. to supervise, coordinate and monitor the activities of all government ministries and agencies involved in food supply and prices;

e. to create appropriate sub-committees on various commodities if found, and for as long as necessary;

f. to call on the resources of all government ministries and agencies necessary to implement the strategies arrived at; and

g. to utilize any transport and storage facilities from the government and private sectors.

All provisions of other Letter of Instructions inconsistent with this order are hereby repealed and/or amended accordingly.

This Letter of Instructions shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 30th day October, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Nine.